Understanding Families after Traumatic Brain Injury: Family Processes and Structures over the Long-Term

Abstract

This study explored the family response to adult traumatic brain injury (TBI), specifically investigating the long-term experience of TBI from the perspective of families. Families of people with TBI are a vital resource for the injured person and society. Yet paradoxically, rather than being assisted to fulfil this important role, inadequate family supports mean family members often become reliant on health, housing and social services themselves. Despite the abundance of research indicating the profound ongoing impact of TBI on families, services still fail to meet the needs of families. No qualitative studies have explored the long-term experiences of the family system after TBI. The processes families engage in to manage TBI over the long-term are poorly understood, and the family perspective under-represented. Understanding the long-term experiences of TBI from the family perspectives are crucial for determining how to better assist families, through appropriate supports at optimal times in ways that build on family strengths and resources. It is this knowledge, to be gained from the experiences of families, which is required to guide the development of effective and timely supports, and move from crisis management to crisis prevention.